The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. Originally intended for New York City progressives, its readership is now national. For anyone who wants to be alerted by email whenever this newsletter is updated (usually weekly), please send your email address and let me know what state you live in (so I can keep track of my readership).

Colorado MediaMatters: Colorado Media Matters is a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the Colorado media. Colorado Media Matters is managed and staffed by Coloradans trained in the rigorous editorial policies and research methods developed by Media Matters for America.

The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition (CIRC) is a statewide, membership-based coalition of over sixty-five community, faith, labor and youth organizations founded in 2002 to build a unified statewide voice to improve the lives of immigrants and refugees in Colorado and the United States. CIRC achieves this mission through capacity building, non-partisan civic engagement, public relations and winning fair, humane and workable immigration policies.

CIRC's VisionCIRC believes in the inherent dignity and human rights of every person, regardless of immigration status. CIRC envisions a society in which all women, men and children are treated with dignity and respect and have equal access to fair and just work, housing, health care, and education and the opportunity to live united with family members.

NATIVE VOTE COLORADO:The American Indian and Alaska Native population accounts for approximately 2% of the state’s overall population, and 1.7% of Coloradans who are 18 and over. Once again, Indian Country is positioned in a strategic area where the Native vote will substantially impact the congressional races.

Native Vote, is a nation wide resource for encouraging voter turn out in Indian Country. Organized by the National Congress of American Indians, get out the vote efforts in Indian Country have been supported by NCAI since 1955.

We need to establish the infrastructure for 2011 and 2012 to get out the vote in Indian Country. You can help by working with Native Vote. To help organize, contact:

Dale Fenner(720) 448-3942dalefenner2@hotmail.com

NATIONAL JEWISH DEMOCRATIC COUNCIL, Denver BranchThe National Jewish Democratic Council is the trusted voice and resource for Democratic office holders, candidates and party organizations to better understand and engage with the Jewish community. NJDC mobilizes the Jewish community and convenes opinion leadership to support the Democratic promise for all Americans. We look to our Jewish tradition to guide us on the issues of social and economic justice, religious pluralism and the peace and security of the State of Israel that will be the hallmark of our work.

NJDC believes that through our work in Democratic Party politics, we can ensure a better world for our children and grandchildren.

For more information, or to become a member of NJDC and the Denver chapter, email sharronsfk@aol.com.

Chapter Board

Chair - Sharron Klein, sharronsfk@aol.com

Vice Chair - David Fogel, dfogel@fogel-law.com

Secretary - Elaine Steinberg, dsteinb105@comcast.net

PR Director - Francine Haber, franhaber@earthlink.net

Recent NJDC, Denver Events

Professor Shaul Gabbay was the featured speaker at the chapter's February meeting.

Attorney Howard Boigon spoke to the Denver Chapter of the NJDC on January 29th at Temple Emanuel. There was a great deal of discussion on current events in Gaza and the history behind these events. In particular, those in attendance were most concerned with how these events are misinterpreted by the press and others casting Israel in a bad light. Howard and his wife, Carol, a Denver councilwoman-at-large, attended the inauguration and gave a detailed overview of the activities and emotions surrounding this momentous event.

Some Progressive Groups in Colorado:

Denver Democracy for America MeetupMeet others to learn more about Democracy For America and discuss local strategies. Get the latest news at your Democracy for America Meetups! This Meetup is officially brought to you by Democracy for America. Join here to find out more.

Colorado Young Democrats Chapters: Find your local Young Democrats chapter and contact them to find out what you can do to organize your community.

Adams County Young DemsEdward Casso, Representativeedwardcasso_at_hotmail.com720.495.3861

Adams State University Undergraduate College DemsRyan CrickChefCO_at_gmail.com

Arapahoe County Young DemsDerek Dye, Presidentderekodye_at_hotmail.com303.921.1685

Colorado Café Scientifique in Denver: The Café Scientifique idea started in England a few years ago, based on the French Café Philosophique. In the Café Scientifique, people (often science buffs) come together in a friendly pub after work and hear an informal (no PowerPoint!) introduction to an interesting current scientific topic, led by an expert. We take a short break for refreshments, to meet new people, and chat, and then we return for questions and answers and general discussion. All questions and comments are welcome, as this isn't a seminar, it's a chance for all of us to express an opinion, expert or otherwise.

We meet at the Wynkoop Brewing Company. Check the website for upcoming events. We start at 6:30 PM in the large & comfortable first floor Mercantile Room and go to approximately 8:00 PM. Because we have been getting large crowds, it isn't practical to serve meals at the tables. We invite you to come early and get dinner in the regular restaurant, or wait until we're through (about 8 PM) and eat then. The Wynkoop's food is great! There is bar service throughout the session, and the Wynkoop people have generously offered to provide snacks for our guests. Café Scientifique meetings are FREE. The Wynkoop is generously providing the facility; we buy our own food and drinks. Seating is limited, and the event is popular, so you may want to arrive around 6 PM to be sure of getting a seat.

And for those who like to combine social and political activities, here are the Drinking Liberally groups in Colorado:

Longmont o First and Third Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm o RedZone, 540 S Main St o Hosted by Andi Hill

BIODIESEL IN COLORADO: Biodiesel is less polluting and has a smaller carbon footprint than regular diesel, and is produced right here in the USA. Biodiesel can be used in almost any diesel engine. Up to B20 (a 20 percent blend) any diesel engine, whether car or 18 wheeler or whatever, can use it. Above B20 some older engines may have problems, but newer engines should be ok.

Go here for a list of pumps in Colorado (as well as a few in other neighboring states). Remember that ANY diesel car or truck can use up to B20 without modification, so most of these stations can serve you.

It took nearly 7 years living within a few blocks of one of the biggest food co-ops in America before Joy and I joined it. We were definitely reluctant. But, in the end the lack of good produce and the decline of our local supermarkets led to us joining. And the result is a slighly more inconvenient shopping trip each week, but much healthier, higher quality and cheaper food. I recommend joining a co-op if there is one nearby. You will save money and eat healthier. So I will list some local food co-ops in Colorado:

The Fort Collins Food Co-operative offers fresh, local food, with a commitment to education, transparency to its sourcing and to the local circle of profit. The Market is a place for you to find the best local food, learn and support your community.

This is one of the best sounding co-ops I have come across because it coordinates producers with consumers online and provides delivery. THIS is how a 21st Century food co-op.

Modeling from the Oklahoma Food Cooperative and the Nebraska Food Cooperative the High Plains Food Coop is a grassroots network of High Plains and Rocky Mountain Front Range producers and consumers uniting interests in locally grown food and other locally made products. The High Plains Food Cooperative strives to be a business that is environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and socially just. To foster a local food community and promote a culture of stewardship by cultivating farmer-consumer relationships, promoting the enjoyment of healthful food, increasing food security through diversity, and enhancing overall rural sustainability. We bring the farmer's market to your front door.

Once you join, you can order online and they deliver! The Online Food Market is intended to bring fresh, healthy, locally grown and produced food to you, the buyer, in a cost-effective and easy manner. Product selection will vary by season. While many of our producers are organic, we also support the sustainable practices of the small non-certified farmer. We believe in the quality and freshness of foods and whether food is produced in an ethical and sustainable manner.

In summary, you'll use the computer to purchase fresh, local produce and other locally produced goods in quantities you can use.

* Colorado's energy efficiency programs save enough electricity to power over 7,000 homes for a whole year, save more than $5.4 million in energy costs, and prevent the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking over 10,000 cars off the road. Although great progress, the state still has much more potential to increase its energy efficiency.

* National Wind, along with Sedgwick, Phillips, and Logan County landowners, will create the state’s largest community-based wind development. The 400-megawatt project could produce enough electricity to power 120,000 homes.

* The state has a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) that requires all investor-owned utilities to generate 20% of their electricity from renewable energy resources by 2020, with at least 4% from solar energy. The RPS also requires municipal utilities and rural electric providers to achieve a renewable energy goal of 10% by 2020.

Alternative energy and YOUR energy bill: YOU can be part of the solution for America by signing up to purchase your energy through a Green Power Provider. My wife and I have been doing this in NYC for years. All our energy usage is provided through wind energy generation on American farms. So we use clean energy AND help American farmers. It costs us three cents per kilowatt-hour more per month, but we feel great about it. Although our actual energy may come from anywhere, we are paying to purchase wind energy for the energy grid. Each state has different programs available, usually through yuor existing energy provider right on your existing energy bill. To find such options in Colorado, go here and pick your energy provider from the list. If you need help, you can email me and tell me who you get your bill from (don't give me any other info!) and I can tell you who to contact to go green through that energy provider. Or you can do the same thing using Renewable Energy Certificates through an organization that works with utility companies, though in this case it is a separate bill. One off the cheapest (.4-1 cent per kilowatt-hour), but still e-Green certified, ways to do this is through Good Energy. Or, for about half a cent per kilowatt-hour you can purchase renewable energy certificates through Carbonfund.org. ANY of these ways you do it, you are helping the environment, helping America, and helping cut carbon emissions.

Alliance for Sustainable Colorado: The mission of Alliance for Sustainable Colorado is to catalyze the shift to a truly sustainable world by fostering collaboration among nonprofits, businesses, governments, and academia. We are working to advance economic, environmental, and social sustainability in Colorado by building cross-sector alliances and networks.

Colorado Green Tech Group, BoulderA gathering of people involved and/or interested in Green Tech including Energy generation, transportation, construction, and efficiency technologies.We meet on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 7:00PM (6:00 for networking).

Boulder Sustainable Energy GroupWe welcome anyone looking for an interesting, informative, and social forum for the exchange of ideas that will help each of us reduce our 'personal' consumption of fossil fuels and emission of greenhouse gasses, and make greener consumer choices in general. Sign up here to find out when and where they meet.

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